UFC’s seven most fierce rivalries of last decade ahead of Covington vs Masvidal, including McGregor and Khabib
UFC 272 will play host to possibly the fiercest grudge match in the promotion’s history with Colby Covington against Jorge Masvidal.
The pair went from inseparable room-mates and training partners to bitter sworn enemies.
But it is not the first time a relationship has soured only to be settled in the UFC octagon.
With so many to choose from, here SunSport looks at some of the most tense UFC feuds of the last decade.
Colby Covington vs Jorge Masvidal
The only place we can start. They helped each other come up together, sharing an apartment, sparring and even socialising.
But Masvidal claims the beef started when Covington refused to pay his striking coach Paulino Hernandez money owed after a 2018 fight.
Covington denies it and says Masvidal instead grew jealous and made up the accusations to cause friction between them.
Ever since it has been public feuding – as Covington left their gym – setting the scene for one hell of a fight in Las Vegas this weekend.
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Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor
McGregor in 2018 was stripped of the UFC lightweight title for inactivity, a belt Khabib would later win at UFC 223 in New York.
But that week McGregor flew over to America after an incident between Nurmagomedov and his pal Artem Lobov, causing the infamous bus attack.
They would eventually fight at UFC 229 in the October with Khabib winning by submission, ending months of trash talk and dark press conferences.
But a post-fight brawl ensued shortly after between the opposing camps, keeping the rivalry alive till this day.
TJ Dillashaw vs Cody Garbrandt
Like Covington and Masvidal, Dillashaw and Garbrandt were training partners and friends.
That was until Dillashaw left Team Alpha Male to fight solely under coach Duane Ludwig.
He made enemies with everyone at Alpha Male but did twice knock out Garbrandt in their two fights.
Dillashaw tested positive for banned substances one year after their rematch before losing to Henry Cejudo – with Garbrandt demanding a trilogy fight as a result.
Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz
Diaz in 2015 called out McGregor which at the time seemed an unlikely fight.
But when Rafael dos Anjos pulled out of fighting the Irishman a year later, Diaz filled in and beat McGregor.
He would lose the rematch five months later in a 25-minute thriller but the bad blood was not over.
The two still trade words online, like they did in every press conference they had between each other, fuelling demand for a trilogy.
Jon Jones vs Daniel Cormier
The two signed to fight in 2014 but kicked things off early after they brawled at a press conference.
The bout was delayed until 2015 which Jones went on to win by points following a five-round chess match.
The UFC legend then had troubles out of the cage delaying a rematch and again fuelling the distain towards each other.
Jones won the rematch in 2017 but a failed drug test caused the result to be overturned to a no-contest. A trilogy never followed despite talks.
Dominick Cruz vs Urijah Faber
This rivalry goes back to 2007 with lower-league promotion WEC, where Faber won by submission.
They rematched four years later which Cruz won on points following years of talks.
A trilogy decider followed in 2016 and Cruz would secure bragging rights for life.
Cruz has also beaten Dillashaw – at the time under Faber’s wing – in between which only intensified the feud.
Chuck Liddell vs Tito Ortiz
This iconic rivalry should have been left in 2006, but sadly it wasn’t.
The two spent years rivalling as the UFC’s biggest stars before Liddell beat Ortiz in 2004.
Liddell then won the rematch two years later which all hoped would close out that chapter in their careers.
But shamefully, in 2018 while the pair had a combined age of 91, they agreed a trilogy, which Ortiz embarrassingly won in round one.